Barcelona’s Javier Mascherano admits 1.5m euro tax fraud
By Mark Baber
October 30- Barcelona defender Javier Mascherano admitted to two counts of tax fraud totalling 1.5m euros in a five minute hearing on Thursday in Gava near Barcelona.
Europe
Table topping Inter Milan break Serie A gate receipt records
October 29 – Rejuvenated Inter Milan who currently top Italy’s Serie A after a 1-0 win over Bologna are reporting chart topping attendance records.
Slovakia to build €68m national stadium in Bratislava
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
October 29 – Slovakia’s government is aiming to complete the construction of a new national football stadium in 2017, according to the country’s Minister of Education, Science, Research and Sport Juraj Draxler.
Biggleswade United take on Man Utd in Twitter growth war
Sobaclieu.com
By Paul Nicholson
October 28 – Non-league Biggleswade United, plying their trade in the 9th tier of the English league, have become a big hit on Twitter, adding 40,000 twitter followers in just three days due to their partnership with online football game giant Top Eleven.
UEFA open Dynamo Kiev racism probe as ‘segregation’ suggestion is denied
By Mark Baber
October 28 – UEFA decided on Tuesday to initiate a full investigation of the incident in which black fans of Dynamo Kiev were attacked by ultras of their own team whilst the Director of the Olympic Stadium, where the incident took place, issued a statement saying his words had been taken out of context and there was no intention to segregate fans on the basis of race.
Celtic moot taking the tartan into the US’s NASL
By Ben Nicholson
October 28 – Rumors are growing that Scottish giant Celtic FC is looking into the possibility of creating a franchise club in the North American Soccer League (NASL). Initial talks allegedly have already been held between the league and club representatives.
Ukrainians blame black fans for Kiev violence and even suggest segregation
By Mark Baber
October 27 – Whilst UEFA and FARE investigate the incident at the Champions League game between Dynamo Kiev and Chelsea on October 20 which saw some Kiev fans attack four black supporters in their own ranks, the head of Kiev’s Olimpiysky stadium has suggested those attacked brought the trouble upon themselves by sitting too close to members of an Ultra group and agreed with a 2+2 Ukrainian media suggestion that a “black section”
German bosses did know of €6.7m slush fund, says Zwanziger
October 26 – Pressure is growing on ethics investigators to take action against German organisers of the 2006 World Cup after allegations that a €6.7 million euro slush fund was set up to buy votes ahead of the ballot.
FIFPro calls for a ‘clean’ break when FIFA elects its new president
October 23 – International players’ union FIFPro has published a checklist which it says all contenders for the job of FIFA president should meet, notably “social wellbeing, fairness, democratic values and human rights.”
Spanish whistleblower claims he was pressured to favour Real in El Clasico
By Mark Baber
October 23 – Dark hints that forces behind the scenes will ensure Real Madrid win this season’s La Liga were given a considerable boost on Thursday as a referee’s assistant, who wishes to remain anonymous, claimed he had been pressurised to favour Los Blancos if he was picked to officiate in the forthcoming El Clasico.
Niersbach short on answers as FIFA opens 2006 payment probe
By Andrew Warshaw
October 23 – Despite attempts to distance himself from the FIFA corruption scandal, German football boss Wolfgang Niersbach’s standing as one of the game’s most respected voices and a prospective future UEFA president are being increasingly questioned as the alleged 2006 World Cup cash-for-votes saga refuses to die down.
Nine Romanian clubs face points losses and relegation for breaking money rules
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
October 23 – As many as nine out of the 14 clubs which compete in Romania’s top tier Liga 1 risk relegation due to their desperate financial positions, according to Viorel Duru (pictured), the director of the department of licencing at the Romanian Football Federation (FRF).
Dutch pass the ball to Henk Ten Cate after Euro2016 disaster
By Samindra Kunti
October 22 – The Dutch FA KNVB have appointed Henk Ten Cate as a special advisor to consider the future of Dutch football after a disastrous EURO2016 qualifying campaign that saw them fail to qualify for UEFA’s continental flagship event in France. They secured neither a top two finish or a play-off spot in their qualifying group.
Former Mons president faces prison over alleged misuse of cash subsidies
By Samindra Kunti
October 22 – The former president of Belgian club RAEC Mons, Domenico Leone, is facing criminal prosecution as justice suspect him of misappropriating subsidies from the local authorities of up €1.2 million.
Austria moot new national stadium to meet fan demand
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
October 20 – Leopold Windtner, the president of Austria’s football federation ÖFB, has unveiled plans to build a new national football stadium following high attendance figures for country’s Euro 2016 qualifiers.